Keres flinched at the first heavy slam against the door, her breath catching. She was on her feet before she even realised she’d moved, backing away, palms seeking something solid until her shoulder blades collided with the cold stone wall. The draft from the narrow window played through strands of her hair, but did nothing to cool her rising panic.
The door exploded inward. Agravayne’s massive form filled the frame, and Keres startled visibly, her spine pressing harder into the wall as though she might push straight through it. Her gaze flicked from one to the other as they stepped into her room. The way they made the space shrink around her made her chest tighten.
Ravenna says you have to go.
Her stomach dropped. Her fingers twitched at her sides, curling, uncurling, useless.
“I—” She swallowed hard. Her lips felt numb. “I don’t belong to
Ravenna…”
Her voice was quieter than she wanted, but steady enough to hide the tremor in it. Her fingers curled into fists, nails biting into her palms. and she lifted her chin just slightly, because shrinking wouldn’t keep her alive.
“Don’t you think you should discuss it with
him first,” she arched a dark brow, “before you lay a hand on
his property?”
She hated the word
property, she hated saying it, hated how easily it came, hated that she was right. But it was all she had. The only shield that might mean anything here. He had bought her, had spent his time and coin on her, needed her for something. Surely he wouldn't allow this?
Her dark eyes moved across the three of them, weighing, searching for any flicker of hesitation amongst the intent. Her pulse thuded against her ribs like a trapped bird. She could feel her magic like a coiled thing in her ribs, but she knew with icy clarity that even if she reached for a soul, even if she found the strength to rip one free, shed never make it through the other two.
These three were not immobilised by stockades.
There would be no fighting her way out of this.
